Habit Burger Deal Doesn’t Include Santa Barbara County

The $375 million purchase of about 300 restaurants in the Habit Burger chain by Yum! — the company that owns Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC — will not affect the Habits of Santa Barbara County. That’s because, when the Reichard brothers initially sold their chain to KarpReilly in 2007, they retained ownership and control of this region’s restaurants.

Brent and Bruce Reichard purchased the original Hamburger Habit in Old Town Goleta in 1980, and they still operate that restaurant as well as the grills on State Street, in La Cumbre Plaza, and in five other locations. 

Brent Reichard responded on Tuesday to Monday’s news reports of the sale, which he said were only half right. “There will be no impact to our locations in Santa Barbara County from the impending acquisition of the national Habit chain by Yum! Brands,” said Brent Reichard in a press release. “The eight Santa Barbara County Habit locations are still locally owned, by our family, as they have been for decades. There will be no changes to our operations, menu, or workforce. We remain committed as a local family business to our original motto, ‘There is no substitute for quality,’ and we appreciate your continued loyal support.”

Read more about the Habit legacy in this feature story from 2017.